The Mark of Athena
by OreWaSama
Summary: The Mark of Athena
1. Chapter 1

The Mark of Athena

*This takes place after the first chapter of TMoA which was released recently* Tell me what you think!

Chapter 1: Annabeth

Annabeth looked down to a huge valley. Buildings made of marble and green grass blowing in the wind. To the west were army barracks and a fenced base. To the east was a large field. Then her eyes settled on a less pleasant sight. 200 armed Romans surrounding the area where the ladder reached the ground. Imperial gold and steel armor and a impenetrable wall of shields. The tension in the air was immense. No one one the ship spoke. Annabeth looked around.

Everyone seemed nervous. Because of the limited capacity of the ship, only cabin leaders had come on the journey. The Stoll brothers from Hermes, Clarisse from Ares cabin, Piper and Leo from Aphrodite and Hephaestus, Jason, Annabeth, Katie Gardener, Clovis, Butch, Thalia and the Hunters of Artemis. and a few others. And Grover and Gleeson Hedge, the satyrs. The best from Camp Half Blood, but they had no chance against the legion if things got bloody.

"Should we go down? Those Romans don't look very friendly." said Piper.

"Relax beauty queen were all friends here. Lets go!" said Leo.

As Annabeth and the other half bloods descended the ladder, she could almost imagine a spear piercing her back. Some of the Roman soldiers looked straight up murderous. There were several legions surrounding Annabeth and the others from camp when they got down. Each direction Annabeth faced, all she saw were Romans, shields locked and pointing spears at her. No sign of Percy.

"People of Camp Jupiter," yelled Leo "Despite our huge war boat of death, we come in peace!"

No one laughed at Leo's lame attempt to break the ice. Even though she had many plans developed for what they were going to do, unfortunately she didn't have one to break awkward silences. Jason stepped forward.

"Jason?" asked a Roman who was drinking red Kool-Aid, and looked like the leader of the cohort directly in front of them.

"Dakota! I'm back!" answered Jason.

"Yeah, that's great and all but can you put down the spears and stuff?" asked Leo.

"Stand down Romans!" came a voice. A girl with dark long hair stepped forward. She seemed to be the leader. "Welcome, to Camp Jupiter, everyone."

"Reyna." Jason said. Annabeth thought he looked pale and she also saw Piper tighten up next to her.

"We have a lot to discuss." began Reyna. "Why don't you-"

"Where's Percy?" asked Annabeth. She had come all this way for one thing. Waited all those months.

"He's at the Senate House. Come join us there?" Reyna said. Without waiting for a answer, she turned and walked away.

"Come on. I'll show you guys the way." said Jason.

As they walked towards the Senate House, Annabeth's emotions began to come out. Her heart started racing. Would Percy remember her? Would he be different? The same? What if he met some other girl at Camp Jupiter? Stop, she told herself. Percy would remember.

As they walked Romans glared at her and the others from Camp Half Blood. Things had started in a less than ideal way. There was politesse from Reyna, and some of Jason's friends but other than that there was no friendliness. More like suspicion. At last she saw a white marble building that could only be the Senate house. Annabeth broke out into a run, leaving the others behind. She just as she went inside, she saw a familiar face. Black hair, green eyes, and a orange t-shirt.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Percy

Percy tried to concentrate. He was with Hazel, Frank, in the senate house telling them about himself and Camp Half Blood. Reyna had told him to wait while she went and got the others when they arrived, but he could only think about looking forward to seeing Annabeth.

"Oh my gods!" cried Hazel. "You fought Kronos?"

"Yeah." Was all Percy said. Maybe his friends could tell he wasn't really in the mood to talk because they stopped talking and held on to their questions.

"They should be here by now." said Percy.

"They probably... got lost or something." said Frank. None of them spoke their true feelings but they all knew what was going through each others minds. What if things got violent? Most of the Romans didn't like the idea of Greeks coming anyway. What if Reyna had told them to wait in the Senate house so Percy wouldn't be able to help his friends when the Romans attacked? Reyna wasn't exactly a great host. All this went through Percy and Frank and Hazel's minds as they waited. Percy was just about to go look and see what had happened when a girl burst inside. Percy looked up and their eyes met. He recognized her instantly. For a second no one moved.

"Percy?" She asked, her voice was barely more than a whisper. Percy stood up, and grinned.

"Annabeth!" He rushed toward her, embracing her in a huge hug. "Your here!"

"Of course I am." she laughed. "You remembered me."

"I never even forgot!" Percy replied. They looked at each other, then kissed.

"Annabeth, I want you to meet some friends." He said, still grinning and gestured behind him.

"Hi! Percy told us so much about you! I'm Hazel." Hazel said as she stepped forward.

"And I'm Frank. I'm a decedent of Neptune too. Like a great great great cousin brother or something." said Frank.

Annabeth laughed. "Thanks for taking care of Percy. I know how much trouble he can get into."

"Hey!" exclaimed Percy. "I don't get into trouble, it finds me usually." They all laughed.

"You guys started the party without me?" came a voice. "Aw man, I like partying." Percy turned to see a Latino kid with a lot of curly hair joining them. "The name's Leo 'Party Master' Valdez" He said.

"Percy meet Leo." Annabeth introduced. "He's a son of Hephaestus."

"Hey what's up?" said Percy.

"In case you guys didn't notice, were discussing important things like how to prevent the end of the world. Get over here punks!" A husky voice said. Clarisse. As Percy turned Clarisse and the others had all settled into the arena inside the Senate House.

"So nice to see you again." muttered Percy, but he and his friends went over to join them.

After Annabeth told him about the new faces from Camp Half Blood, Percy took his seat next to her and Grover. Just like old times, he thought. They were joined by the cabin leaders from Camp Half Blood, Reyna, a satyr Percy had never seen before (Gleeson Hedge), the cohort's senior centurions, and Octavian. Percy noticed a tension in the room between Jason, Piper and Reyna. He remembered what Reyna had told him before he went on his quest, when he had asked if Jason and Reyna were a couple. _"We might have been, given time." _They certainly didn't look like a 'almost couple' now. They hadn't even looked at each other, and Jason was sitting next to Piper, not Reyna. Percy and Annabeth's reunion went great, but that wasn't the case for Jason and Reyna.

"I think we should all start be saying our names and something about each other." said Leo. Of course he would be the one to break the ice. "My name is Leo, and I like to party!"

"Leo, I don't think that's the way this works." said Jason. He stood up. "We all know each other now and we all know what we have to do. The prophecy states that seven of us will go and close the Doors of Death. The first battle will be in Rome, then Greece.

"Me, Piper, Leo, and Percy are the first four, we need to figure out who the last three are." He sat down.

"We do know at least two more." said Reyna "Juno herself came and told us. The other two are Hazel, and Frank. That leaves one." Everyone looked around. No one seemed to want to join the quest. Percy knew it was Annabeth, and apparently he was the only one, because no said anything. He opened his mouth to speak.

"I-"

"I have read the will of the gods!" exclaimed Octavian. "And the seventh of the seven is... me!"

The entire room started talking at once.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Jason

Jason couldn't have heard right. Octavian wanted to come with them? It can't happen, Jason thought. No one trusts him. And even if people did, Octavian wasn't one of the seven best demigods of the age. He couldn't even through a spear 20 yards. Apparently the others were thinking the same thing, as they frowned and looked around at each other. Octavian was still smiling, as if he delivered good news.

"Octavian," Jason began, "I don't think that's a very good idea."

"I know I'm supposed to go on this quest." said Octavian. "I foresaw it. If your going to battle Gaea, you'll need my ability to-"

"Ability to cut open stuffed animals?" interrupted Leo. "No offense dude, but I think we'll be fighting stuff slightly stronger than teddy bears."

"Silence!" roared Octavian. "It's not just teddy bears, there are other animals I use, but that's not the point." He took a deep breath. "Before the Feast of Fortune, I said that a mysterious hero would save the camp. That person is me."

"Actually, that person is not you." Percy stood up. "When we were on our quest. We came upon a burnt page of the Sibylline Books. Those books said that a daughter of Athena would accompany us as one of the seven."

"Lies!" said Octavian

"It's true!" Hazel had spoken up. "We heard it! Right Frank?" she asked.

"Yeah. What she said...It's true!" said Frank.

"Wait a minute. Percy said you came upon the page. Your saying you heard it. Which is it?" asked Octavian.

Percy, Hazel, and Frank looked at each other. Jason could tell they were hiding something.

"Ha!" laughed Octavian. "Your lying! You see Romans! Greeks can't be trusted, they are on Gaea's side."

A murmur broke out through the crowed. Jason could see what was happening. Octavian was turning the Romans on the Greeks. Jason looked over to Reyna trying to catch her eye. Surely she knew what Octavian was up to but she didn't look at him.

"No!" said Percy. "The only reason Hazel and Frank heard it was because I read it to them."

"I see," said Octavian "And where is this page?"

Percy didn't answer. Reyna came to his rescue.

"I have a better idea." she said. "Why don't you and Annabeth fight for the spot? One vs One."

"Fight?" said Octavian, not sounding so confident now. "I don't-"

"You are a Roman." Reyna said. "You should relish this opportunity, especially if you believe the Greeks are our enemy"

Octavian said nothing. Jason knew Annabeth could beat him easily. Annabeth wasn't as intimidating as Clarisse, but she had fought Kronos with her knife and Jason knew that few Romans had even trained against knives. I'd pay to see this, he thought, smiling to himself.

"Are you afraid?" asked Reyna. "This is why you can't be on the quest."

Octavian still said nothing although his eyes were murderous. Finally he talked.

"I know why you don't want me with you. You don't trust me." he said. His voice dangerously calm. He opened is mouth but closed quick. He was silent, almost like he was listening to something. Then he spoke again.

"Very well...I tried...No..." It was like he was talking to himself.

"Fire?" He looked up at Leo, and smiled. "I will do whatever you ask" he said to himself again.

He was silent for a couple seconds, unaware that all eyes on the room were on him. Finally he looked up.

"Go on the quest," he said, his voice full of rage. "Only pain awaits you. And you," He said, looking to Reyna. "You'll regret ever doing this," He stood up, looking at the entire room. "I swear to you, Rome will burn. And after that, Greece and Olympus."

With that, he turned a ran out of the room.

"Well...looks like we got our seven!" said Leo.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Nico

*4 Days Ago*

Nico had no idea what to do. He had said to Hazel that he was going to look for the Doors of Death, but had no idea how to do it. The Doors of Death. Hmm. He was standing at the edge of the River Styx, watching the currents swirl, as he tried to form a plan. He tried to think of what he knew about the doors. They were the smaller exits that formed between the Underworld and the mortal world. With Death chained up, monsters could find their ways back from the Underworld much faster. He stood up. He had decided to ask he would need help.

"I cannot help you, the gods can't help their children, you must find your own path." Nico had gone to his father, and now was with Hades in the castle throne room.

"But father, it's important!" Nico protested. "Can't you help me?"

Hades sighed. He spoke up. "All I can say is that the small doors are impossible to find for mortals or half bloods. Only spirits, soul, or ghosts can find them. You'll have to look for the one big door, the most powerful Door of Death, that Gaea is controlling."

"Tell me where it is!"

"I can't. Gaea has hidden it, but even if I knew I can't do your quest for you."

"Okay. Thanks for the help...I guess." said Nico. He left the palace, thinking as he walked. I have to find the most powerful door, he thought. As he walked through the Underworld, he came to the entrance of the huge abyss, Tartarus. Staring into the pit, a flash of light caught his eye. It was far down, twinkling, as bright and small as a star. Nico stared at it, he had never seen anything like it happen before. He started toward it walking deeper down the sloping edge of the pit.

Suddenly, he found himself at the very edge of Tartarus. He was standing at the edge of a cliff. The ground rose up behind him. As he turned, he saw three Earthborn, rise out of the ground. Nico drew his sword.

"Stay back!" He yelled.

_Drop your sword,_ came a voice whispering in his ear.

"Gaea." said Nico. His eyes on the Earthborn, who had him cornered but hadn't come any closer."Your asleep. You shouldn't be able to talk."

_I will be awake soon, _she said. _And your going to help._

Nico knew at that moment he had been lured to the side of the cliff. "You led him here." he said with a heavy heart.

_You heroes aren't that bright._ Gaea said. _Now drop the sword, or your sister dies._

_"_You have Hazel?" Nico asked.

_Your sister and her friends had their little quest ended early._ Answered Gaea.

Fighting back a bitter taste of defeat in his mouth, Nico dropped his sword. "What are you going to do?"

Gaea didn't answer, instead the three Earthborn rushed at him, and before he could defend himself, they pushed him into Tartarus.

He awoke sometime later. He was tied to a pillar looking a huge set of set of white doors, The Doors of Death.

"Why have you brought he here? Where am I?" He shouted.

_Rome._ Came Gaea's voice._ Far underneath it. As for why I brought you here, it's all part of the plan._

"What have you done to my sister? Why isn't she here?" asked Nico, but his mind had already formed a unpleasant answer.

_On her way to Camp Jupiter, of course. _Replied Gaea sounding amused. _They may have freed Death, but Camp Jupiter will be soon destroyed by my army. As for you, your friends from Camp Half Blood will come find you. Percy Jackson wouldn't leave you here. And when they come, they will walk straight into my trap._

_"_You tricked me!"

_Yes of course I did. I knew you wanted to defeat me, to get revenge when you learned about what I did to Bianca._

It was true. Only days before he had learned that Bianca hadn't been reborn, but had been sent to the Fields of Asphodel by Gaea, to wander the Underworld for eternity. Nico hadn't told Hazel, because he didn't want to worry her. Nico could feel the rage building inside him.

"Bianca was in Elysium, she deserved to be on the Isles of the Blessed for eternity, not the Fields of Asphodel!" Yelled Nico.

_I knew in your anger you would come after me. _Replied Gaea. _You were always very loyal to your sister. Didn't she tell you holding grudges was a fatal flaw for children of Hades? Except not only will you die, but your friends too._

"They won't come after me." Nico said. "They'll carry on without me."

_We shall see. _


	5. Chapter 5

The Mark of Athena Chapter 5

Percy:

"Yo guys? We got a problem here" He said.

Percy had called them all onto the deck on the Argo II. All the cabin leaders and praetors had gathered around him on the deck, giving him anxious looks.

"What's up man?" asked Grover.

"Listen guys. I had a dream." said Percy.

"This can't be good." muttered Leo.

"It's not." agreed Percy. "Gaea has Nico. She lured him into Tartarus. We need to go down there to rescue him."

Leo laughed. "I thought you said Tartarus." He said, looking around. "Oh."

"We're going down to L.A. To the Underworld, then down into Tartarus." said Percy.

There was a lot of muttering, and people looking around.

"Now?" asked Annabeth.

"Of course now!" said Percy. "What, you want to go next weekend? Or during Thanksgiving break maybe? We round up everyone who can fit on the ship and go!"

"Look that sounds like a great idea and everything," began Rachel, the camp oracle. "But there's something you guys should know." She said with a painful look on her face.

When everyone kept on looking at here she took a deep breath and began. "A few hours ago, when we were just hanging out after Octavian left, I had a vision. We can't go and save Nico. It's against the prophecy."

No one spoke. "Oh yeah." she added. " And Camp Half Blood is under attack."

"Whoa whoa whoa back up." said Jason. "Tell us more slowly."

"OK." replied Rachel. "I got a message from camp just before we landed. Chiron told me that a huge army was around 2 hours away from camp. The army was similar to the one that attacked here a few days ago. I got that message about 2 and a half hours ago."

"And you just forgot to tell us this?" asked Jason, not trying to hide the irritation in his voice.

"Chiron told me not to tell you until we decided what to do."

"And about Nico?"

"The prophecy says we can't save him." she said looking miserable.

"Tell us the exact words." said Annabeth.

"I can't." replied Rachel. "No one was around me to hear it, and the voice speaks through me, but it doesn't tell me anything. All I saw was pain. And death. If we go to rescue him, one of us won't make it back."

Again no one spoke.

"I'm going." said Percy, determined.

"I'm coming too. He's my brother." said Hazel.

Everyone turned to look at her. So far that was the only thing that she had said.

"Percy, you guys, you can't do this!" Interrupted Annabeth. "Someone going to die!"

"We can't leave him." said Percy simply.

"I want in then." said Jason

"I'm coming too." Frank stepped forward.

"I'll come if you want me." said Grover, looking nervous.

"Hold on guys!" said Percy. "We can't all go! Someone has to go back to camp and help with the invasion."

He turned to Annabeth. "I need you to take everyone but me, Hazel, Frank, and Grover back to camp."

"What? No! I'm coming with you." she replied.

"Yeah. I'm coming." said Jason.

"We don't have time for this" said Percy, voice rising. "Me, Hazel, Frank, and Grover know him best, and we need Annabeth to lead back at camp."

He turned to Annabeth, holding her close. "Don't worry, nothing's going to happen to me."

"Leo, I need you to take us to L.A. How long will it take?"

"At the rate of our ship? About 30 minutes." Leo said.

"Then let's go."


End file.
